afar

How did Smith play today ? Any views

100% agree, we did well, but the quality just isn't in our side. Played like CL finalist's, did Chelsea. Glad we were up for it in the first half, though. Hard to believe that Smith was in the first team squad for the other CL finalist at the start of the season !

Lap of honour ?

Last time in a black and white strip at SJP for Zoggy ?? Who else ?

We have to improve on our record versus the big four next year. Was it just 1 point form the 6 fixtures, conceeding a bucket load and scoring just 1 wasn't it ?

game over then

I'm waiting for the: OWEN 1-1 or the SMITH 1-1, I love you and your curly blonde locks.... but it's not going to happen is it ?

from the bbc: For those of you that are interested, Mathieu Flamini has signed for AC Milan from Arsenal, as expected.

I bet ManUre fans are now ruing sell us Alan Smith/

Seems to be a common trait against the big 4, play well in the first half and fall apart in the 2nd.

Strange, being at work I'm kind of stuck with just watching the text commentary from the beeb. Despite all the optomism here, on there they are saying it's very scrapy, woeful shooting and Chelsea have cruised throught the first 45.

Anyone know if that's actually what he wrote? Not quite sure if that's quite the kind of thing I'd want to be advertising, true or not. It's certainly interesting insight, so we a still paying bigger wages than Spurs. What's a worse indicator of a player's character, one that chases the bright lights or one that chases the $$$ ?

Pos 1st Back up fill vacancy ? GK Harper Given RB Beye ------- Carr, Ramage LB Enrique ------- CH -------- Taylor Diatta, Edgar CH -------- Faye Cacapa, Roz DM Butt ------ CM ------ ------ Emre RM ------ Milner LM Zoggy Duff FC Owen Viduka FC Martins ------- Carrol, Smith Utility Barton Gerimi If we can fill those 9 spots, we’ll have a big enough squad in my opinion, of course he could use some of the current players to fill in the blanks leaving fewer to buy, the reverse is true if he sells any in the 1st team or backup. There may also be some kids who are ready to step up and fill the roles. A sensible approach would leave him with having to find just 4 or 5 players, to do that he’ll need to keep at least 4 or 5 of the motely crew (or fill from youth team) and replace any of the 1st or backup that move on.

I think a lot of it will dpened on who we get offers for. I can see a team coming in for the likes of: Smith, Zoggy, Ameobi and Emre. I can see many being interested in the likes of: Ramage, Roz, Cacapa, Carr and because of wages Duff. Carr has a year left on his contract rignt ?? How many bloody years did we sing him for in the first place, for godness sake. KK may need to offload some he would rahter have kept while keeping some that he would rather be shot of.

Acutally MJ I think you are being optimistic with 7th or 8th. Got a feeling Ramos is not the silver bullet the media would have us believe.

As it's a Bosman, decide the transfer fee that would have been paid, divide by the number of years on the contract,, add that annual figure to the annual wages, could easily make £144k pw if Milan wanted to pay it. No argument there, just why the hell would they offer Flamini that ? It would just cause the likes of Kaka and Pato to ask for more, which being far superior players they would think they deserved. I'll repeat the Italian game does not have the money to over inflate the salary of a player of Flamini level I don't even think Chelski if they were interested would offer him that much. If we were talking about Torres or Robnaldo then I wouldn't question it. If you ask me it's just Flamini trying to gouge everything he can out of Arsenal, could be a big mistake on his part.

lol

Scored more goals than anyone except Man United this season. Not dull. A traditional, quality winger in Ashley Young? Not dull. The pace of Agbonlahor? Not dull. Combined with the power of Carew? Not dull. The passing of Barry? Not dull. Currently in with a very good chance of finishing 5th, two years after having looked odds on for relegation, and not even having started spending properly yet? Not dull. I admire your optimism, but you're just pretending other teams don't exist and not really providing any arguments to back up your theory. It was indeed a great result at WHL but by that measure, West Ham have beaten Man U the last three times they've played. All hail next year's champions from East London. Everton dull and workmanlike? And fifth in the league. It is a very competitive league and will get more so. Villa at the moment remind me very much of Robson's Newcastle. A Shearer would have you in the top 3 in my opinion. Villa should go all out for Villa, he could be the man for you guys. I don't think scoring goals is actually a problem for Villa at the moment. No, but a top top striker would really change the dimension of the Villa team, allowing them to defend from the front much like we did with Griffin, bramble, O'Brien and Bernard in defence. A goalkeeper (not Carson) A right side midfielder (Milner would do) A right back (preferably two - Nelson from Benfica will prob be one) A left back (god knows who) A goal scorer (god knows) That's what we need to really push on next season. Although I like Milner, I'm not convinced he's of a high enough quality to take you into the top 4. Other than that I think you're right, you are about 4 or 5 players from improving on this year's finish. Assuming you don't loose any of your better players that is.

I think we're 3 players away from having a good go at top 4, I'm not saying we can get the players that we need but if we do then we can manage it. Two quality midfielders and a quality replacement for Viduka and we could have a good go at the top 4 but we'll have to see who we bring in first. Our current team could probably push top 8 over a season with Keegan picking the team. I think we are probably missing some quality and leadership at centre half too. But apart from that I agree. The problem we'll also encounter is the likes of Villa, Spurs, Man City and Everton will also improve as will the top 4.

Ever tried reading it? From the main page, And this is a thread about our rivals. That sort of implies talking about our rivals, not us. Cant argue with that. Im put in my place. Actually the thread started out as a league predictor for next year, it received a name change in the title for some reason.

Scored more goals than anyone except Man United this season. Not dull. A traditional, quality winger in Ashley Young? Not dull. The pace of Agbonlahor? Not dull. Combined with the power of Carew? Not dull. The passing of Barry? Not dull. Currently in with a very good chance of finishing 5th, two years after having looked odds on for relegation, and not even having started spending properly yet? Not dull. I admire your optimism, but you're just pretending other teams don't exist and not really providing any arguments to back up your theory. It was indeed a great result at WHL but by that measure, West Ham have beaten Man U the last three times they've played. All hail next year's champions from East London. Everton dull and workmanlike? And fifth in the league. It is a very competitive league and will get more so. Villa at the moment remind me very much of Robson's Newcastle. A Shearer would have you in the top 3 in my opinion. Villa should go all out for Villa, he could be the man for you guys. Although I agree Villa have had a great season. I don't think they are that close to the top 4. The gap is huge. Villa will win the prize of 'best of the rest' in my view but it will take them more than one signing to bridge the gap. I can uderstand what Centrepaddock meant by Dull and uninspiring, the football they have produced this is is far from that but the club itself, Aston Villa, is just so dull, they are so very fortunate to have Martin ONeill to be honest I think he is wasted there and would do a great job for one of the big boys such as Liverpool.

And WTF does the National team have to do with the wage structure of the PL

Who said there was NO money in the italian game. I said there is not THAT kind of money in the Italian game at present. Only a few clubs in England can afford to pay those wages and this is the richest league in the world. There's a reason why the biggest stars in the game today are joining premiership clubs, it's not for the love of the English game, it's the money !! If they are offering Flamini 144k how much do you think Kaka would have to be on ?

No way in hell Milan have offered 144k a week, there's not that kind of money in the Italian game.

Maybe, if wed have gone down this season. Cheer up man, yr miserable bunch, I can be happy, knowing Whats on its way I applaud your optimism, lets hope you are right and you come back on here in a year's time telling us "I told you so". Good to see positivity returning to the fans, we've been in the dauldrums for too long now.